1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic connector mutually-fitting mechanism in which a pair of connectors (used mainly in electric wiring in an automobile), mounted respectively on separate structural members, are fitted together.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of connectors for connecting a wire harness, used in electric wiring in an automobile, includes a lever connecting-type connector (disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 6-243928) shown in FIG. 7, in which a pair of connectors a and b are fitted together and disengaged from each other by pivotally moving a lever c. In such a lever connecting-type connector, the connectors a and b are fitted together by pivotally moving the lever c, and therefore there are advantages that the fitting force is reduced and that the positioning for fitting purposes is easy.
However, as shown in FIG. 8, when the lever connecting-type connectors a and b are used so as to connect a wire harness e in an instrument panel d of the automobile to electric wiring in a gauge board f to be mounted on the instrument panel d, the connector b, connected to an end of the wire harness e, is drawn from the instrument panel d, and then is fitted into the connector a mounted on the gauge board f, and then the gauge board f is mounted on the instrument panel d.
Therefore, the wire harness e must have an excess length so that the wire harness can be pulled to be extended exteriorly of the instrument panel d so as to effect the connecting operation, which results in a disadvantage that the cost of the member, as well as the weight, is inevitably increased. Besides, when mounting the gauge board f on the instrument panel d, there is a possibility that the wire harness e is caught or bitten between the instrument panel d and the gauge board f, and in such a case this mounting operation can not be carried out, and also the wire harness e may be damaged.
On the other hand, in order to simplify the fitting operation, there has been proposed a method as shown in FIG. 9, in which a receiving connector h is movably mounted on an inner wall d' of an instrument panel through spring pieces g, and a connector a' on a gauge board f' is fitted on the receiving connector h simultaneously when connecting the gauge board f' to the instrument panel.
However, when fitting the connector a', mounted on the gauge board f', on the receiving connector h, a fitting load acts directly on the receiving connector h, and therefore the instrument panel must be reinforced so as to withstand the fitting load. If this reinforcement is effected, there is encountered a problem that the instrument panel is increased in size and weight, and as a result, the weight of a vehicle body increases, and also the handling of the instrument panel is cumbersome.